


Rough Night

by neonaeropostale



Series: Rough Night [1]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angry Luke Patterson, Drunk Julie Molina, F/M, Julie Messed Up And Needs to Fix It, Luke Can't Stay Mad at Julie to Save His Life (Pun Intended), Protectice Luke Patterson, The Boys Are Alive, Underage Drinking, high school parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:40:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27511672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neonaeropostale/pseuds/neonaeropostale
Summary: The night before an important gig, Flynn drags Julie to a high school party that she had promised Luke she wouldn't go to. Julie ends up getting wasted and Luke has to find her and take her home. Will Julie be still able to perform, or did she just ruin the band's chances of getting signed to a label?
Relationships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Series: Rough Night [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021972
Comments: 35
Kudos: 402





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, teenagers drink in high school. CRAZY, I know ;) This is a short story about one of many Juke moments I want to write about. Enjoy!

She shouldn't have come. Flynn had to practically drag her to this stupid party. Neither girl knew the host, but apparently, it was a senior at Los Feliz High School. Julie had protested to going, insisting that she needed to rest for a gig she had with the boys the following day. There were going to be important scouts and managers watching, so they needed to be on their "A" game. When mentioning the party to Luke he made it very clear that it would be a bad idea.

He had even made her promise him she wouldn't go, but alas, Flynn was very pushy when she wanted to be.

But now she was four drinks in, with maybe some shots thrown in there, and she no longer remembered why she didn't want to come. Julie stumbled through the house, wandering room to room and shuffling through the densely packed space. The house reeked of alcohol, sweat, and a hint of vomit.

Julie had lost Flynn about an hour ago, and after searching for thirty minutes she had somehow got roped into taking another shot and then playing a round of beer pong. She made it to the couch as the world was starting to spin when her phone buzzed.

Julie took it out of her back pocket and squinted at her screen, willing her eyes to focus. Her eyes widened as she read the time. It was 3:00 am!

When had it gotten so late? And how did she miss 5 messages from Luke?

She wasn't sure how long she stood there staring at her screen before her phone illuminated, Luke's photo popping up as he called her. Her ringtone was inaudible in comparison to the blaring music inside the house, and if she hadn't been looking at her phone she would have missed his call.

Julie pressed answer and held the phone up to her ear.

"Hellooooo!" Julie sang into the phone.

"Julie?" Luke's voice was filled with concern.

"Hold on pretty boy, let me go somewhere quieter." Julie looked for the nearest quiet place, beelining for the bathroom.

Once she entered the bathroom, she shut the door and the party seemed to fade away. The blaring music was reduced to a dull echo, and the sounds of multiple conversations were muffled.

Julie was staring at herself in the bathroom mirror, and she was pretty sure that she shouldn't be seeing three sets of eyes staring back at her.

"Julie?" Luke asked again and she remembered she was on the phone.

"Oh! Hi Lukey Luke." She giggled, as she gripped the sink for stability.

"How much have you had to drink?" He asked and she searched her blurry memory.

"Ummmm... Maybe 4. Unless we are counting shots, then definitely 6." Julie slurred, a hiccup escaping her throat.

"Where are you?" He sounded serious and she just kept giggling.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Julie joked.

"Actually yeah. I'm coming to get you." There was no humor in his tone, and somewhere in her drunk mind, she knew that she should be worried about that.

"What? No, I don't need you to come. I'm fineeee! Flynn is going to Uber back with me... Once I find her..." She revealed the last part quickly, hoping he would miss it.

"Jules, where are you?" He asked again, firmer this time.

Julie wasn't listening, instead, she was admiring herself in the mirror. She was wearing a short purple skirt with a black halter crop top and sneakers. Her chest was ordained with layered silver necklaces and she was wearing silver butterfly earrings. Flynn had helped her pull her hair back into a high ponytail, and she even threw in a few braids to spice it up.

Julie squished the phone to her ear, having forgotten their conversation.

"You knowww, I look really hot tonight and you're missing it. Flynn even convinced me to wear a thon-"

"Don't finish that. Julie, tell me where-" Luke started but Julie suddenly became urgently aware of her full bladder.

"Actually I need to pee really bad so I gotta go, byeeee!" Julie rushed out before hanging up and barely making it to the toilet.

She was too busy feeling relieved that her bladder no longer felt like it was juggling knives that she didn't realize her phone was lighting up as Luke tried calling her again.

Suddenly there was pounding on the bathroom door, and a familiar voice sounded.

"Hey in there! Hurry up, I need to pick my wedgie and I am NOT doing that out here!" Flynn slurred.

Julie finished up, readjusting her clothes as she washed her hands before opening the door to find her best friend.

"Flynnnn!" She squealed and Flynn did the same as they embraced.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Flynn said.

"Same here!" Julie smiled wide, still spinning but somewhat grounded now that she found her friend.

It was just then that their favorite song of all time came on, none other than "Ric Flair Drip" by Metro Boomin and Offset.

They grabbed each other and shared a knowing look. Julie took Flynn's hand and they very clumsily ran to the dance floor, which in this case, was the tile in the middle of the living room. As the song played they yelled the lyrics back and forth to one another, dancing together and living in the moment.

Multiple guys were eyeing them and one approached Julie and attempted to grab her hips. Flynn grabbed Julie's hand and spun her so that she ended up in front of her. Julie gave her friend a thankful smile as she leaned back into her, swaying her hips to the rhythm of the song. Once the guy left they separated, facing each other once again as they lost themselves in the music.

Julie closed her eyes as Flynn went to spin her again but she accidentally spun her the wrong way and she collided with someone's chest.

She opened her eyes to apologize, only to look up at none other than Luke Patterson himself.

He looked tired, which made sense considering it was probably almost 4:00 am at that point.

"Luuuuuke!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around the taller boy, having to stand on her tiptoes just to reach him.

His hands instinctively found her bare waist, and her skin burned where he touched her.

She nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck, humming softly. His thumbs were gently stroking her sides, and she shivered.

"That feels nice..." Julie sighed, her eyes falling closed.

The spinning sensation suddenly got worse so she pulled away, grabbing his hands as the next song came on.

"Dance with me!" Julie begged, but he shook his head.

"It's time to go, Jules." He said, gently tugging on her hands as he moved towards the door.

"Wait, what about Flynn?" Julie asked, turning around to where she had been standing only to find that she had disappeared again.

"Alex and Reggie are taking care of it." He informed her.

"Both of them?" Julie inquired and he shrugged.

"She's threatened all of us at least once, they figured it would be better for one of them to lay witness to the other's murder if it came to it." He explained and Julie could see humor playing in his eyes.

She was about to capitalize on the moment when she heard the prissy giggle of none other than Carrie Wilson. Julie turned to see her standing to the side, arms crossed, and popping bubblegum.

"Aw did you drink too much, Julie? Need your boyfriend to come save you?" She mocked with fake concern.

Luke and Julie chose to ignore the boyfriend implications, neither of them ready to have that conversation yet.

"Fuck off, Carrie." Luke said, with a sharp edge in his tone.

On any other day, Julie would have let Carrie's words go. But tonight she was highly intoxicated and didn't give a fuck about the moral high ground. Luke was tugging on her hand to get her out the door when Julie turned to face Carrie.

"Is it hard being a pretentious bitch all the time, or does that just come naturally to you?" Julie shot back, and Carrie's mouth gaped open.

She recovered quickly with a scoff.

"I can't believe I ever lowered myself to be your friend. Do you really think everyone just bought the whole "I miss my mom" routine last year? We all know you were just using it as an excuse to not put in the work." Carrie spat and Julie lost it.

She tackled Carrie to the ground, both girls screaming as they pulled and tugged on whatever they could grab. Julie managed to land a particularly hard slap across her cheek. The music stopped, and people were shouting around them. Julie was ready to hit Carrie again when Luke's strong arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her up and off of her enemy.

Thankfully Nick was there to hold Carrie back from lunging back at Julie, or else there would be no separating the two until one claimed victory. Carrie's bun she had been wearing was almost completely pulled apart, one of her fake eyelashes falling off as her face flushed with rage.

Carrie hadn't managed to do much more than rumple Julie's clothes and she felt a prideful smile spread across her lips.

"You crazy bitch!" Carrie roared.

"I learned from the best!" Julie retorted as Luke dragged her out of the house.

By the time Luke had carried her halfway to his car, she started laughing as her anger subsided and she realized what just happened.

"I can't believe I just did that! I just fought Carrie, and I WON! Luke, did you see that?" Julie asked excitedly as he let her down to her feet when they reached his rusty old truck.

"It was pretty hard to miss, Jules. Not gonna lie, it was awesome." Luke said, looking at her with one of those "I'm amazed by Julie and love everything about her" smiles.

His eyes then trailed up her body, taking her in under the illumination of the moon. Julie felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she prayed he didn't remember what she mentioned she was wearing earlier.

He didn't break eye contact as he leaned over and opened her door for her. Julie just about melted from his intense stare, before he walked around the other side to get into the driver's seat. Julie climbed into the car, and she became acutely aware of how dizzy she was.

"Julie?" Luke voiced concerned.

His hand reached over and she quickly grabbed it before it could reach its final destination, interlocking their fingers.

She was squeezing his hand tightly, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"I'm okay, you're just spinning. I mean- I'm spinning. Well, actually both." Julie decided, leaning her head against his shoulder.

She was appreciative that he had a truck so that she could be this close to him when he drove. She placed their connected hands in her lap, her other hand gently tracing shapes on his forearm.

He took a deep shaky breath as he started the car and they began their venture back. She noticed that they missed the turn that would have taken them to her house and she pulled on his arm.

"Luke, my house is that way." She reminded him and he nodded.

"I know. There's no way I'm risking your dad seeing you like this and blowing off our gig today. You do remember we have an important gig today, right?" He said with a hint of annoyance and maybe even anger.

Her hand left his as she wrapped her arms around one of his before he could pull it away, holding his arm close to her chest as she leaned her cheek against his bicep. His hand ended up resting on her upper thigh, which caused butterflies to dance violently in her stomach. Or maybe that was the alcohol churning her insides.

"Yes, I remember..." Julie said softly, not wanting to look at him as she nuzzled into his arm.

There was a long silence before she asked the question that she wasn't sure if she wanted the answer to.

"Are you mad at me?" Julie whispered.

She felt Luke's grip on her thigh tighten as he inhaled sharply.

"Yes, I'm mad at you. We were supposed to get up early today to practice for tonight, but in your current state, you'll sleep until noon. You'll also be hungover for our performance, and managers notice that kind of shit." He spoke and she could hear the anger rising in his voice.

All of the amusement and humor from before had drained out of Luke as he remembered why he was upset with her. Luke was rarely ever truly angry with her because she was Julie and everything she did was perfect in his eyes. However, when it came to music and potentially jeopardizing their careers, he drew the line.

"You told me you weren't going." He said finally, and she frowned.

"I wasn't going to, I promise! Flynn pulled the best friend card, and said that her social life would be over if we didn't go." Julie tried to explain, but she knew it was pointless.

Luke's jaw was already set tight, his eyes glaring out to the road, his grip still firm on her thigh.

"And what about the band? Were we not important enough to convince you to stay home?" Luke snapped and Julie's heart sank.

They drove the rest of the way to his house in complete silence, overwhelming guilt consuming her as she realized how selfish she'd been. While Flynn had forced her to go to the party, Julie was the one who said yes to drinking. Now she could have cost her band a record deal, and the thought alone made her want to throw up. As if on cue, she felt the rising bile in her throat.

They had just parked outside of his house and he opened his door, about to move to get out when Julie launched herself across his lap and leaned out the door as she threw up on the pavement. He was surprised momentarily before sighing and rubbing her back.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, groaning at the sick feeling threatening to take over her.

"Let's get you inside." He said calmly as he helped her out of the car, maneuvering them around the spot where she had thrown up.

Julie found it hard to walk, tripping over her feet as her balance seemed to flee. Luke wrapped a strong arm around her waist and half carried her inside.

She was thankful that his parents had gone out of town for another business trip, so Luke would be the only one to witness her state tonight. Once they reached his room he rummaged through his dresser before he found one of his few shirts that still had sleeves. He handed her a Kiss t-shirt to change into and she retreated to the bathroom.

When she returned he had made a pallet for himself on the ground, and she felt another stab to her heart at the notion that she would be sleeping alone in his own bed. She really messed up.

He looked at her for a fleeting moment, and when he looked away from her she saw a blush rise to his cheeks, and hope swelled within her. She was just wearing his t-shirt since it was practically a dress on her anyway. His reaction was proof enough that maybe she hadn't completely ruined things.

Julie wobbled as she made her way to his bed, crashing down on it and cuddling up in his sheets. His bed smelled like him, and it was both comforting and a cruel reminder that he was not physically laying with her. As Luke settled on the floor beneath her, she tossed and turned, trying to wrap herself in his thin sheets.

What was it about boys and not needing blankets?

It didn't help that it was mid-December and they lived near the ocean. Julie shivered and turned to Luke who was looking at her with mild annoyance or perhaps it was amusement.

"I'm cold." She blurted out.

He stared at her for a moment before sitting up with another sigh as he moved to crawl into bed beside her.

Julie eagerly turned towards him, nuzzling into his warmth as he wrapped his arms around her.

"How did you find-" Julie began but he already knew her question.

"You have your location turned on in Snapchat." He answered simply.

Julie let out a soft "oh" into his chest and then they fell silent.

"I'm still mad at you." He said unconvincingly, one of his hands tangled itself in her hair as he played with her curls.

"I know." She sighed, unable to stop the hint of a smile on her lips that always appeared when they touched.

Yes, Julie messed up and she would have to face those consequences tomorrow. But right now, she was wrapped in Luke's arms and she felt her worries dissipate at his touch. She would find a way to make it up to the boys. No matter how sick she felt tomorrow, she was going to give her best performance because they deserved that. He deserved that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie faces the consequences of her rough night out.

Julie woke with a splitting headache and a newfound self-loathing. The space where Luke had been lying next to her last night was reduced to a pile of crumpled sheets. She sighed and sat up, immediately regretting it.

It felt like she had just been stabbed in the temple and she clutched her head, letting out a small whine. Once she was able to keep her eyes open without her head throbbing, she noticed a bottle of aspirin and a water bottle on Luke's nightstand.

He had left a note that was written on a piece of paper torn from his songbook. Luke had the worst handwriting she'd ever seen, but thankfully Julie was well versed with interpreting his chicken scratch.

" _Garage_." It read, which meant they were practicing back at her house.

Without her.

Julie let out a frustrated sigh as she willed herself to stand up, remembering the promise she had mentally made to the boys before drifting off sleep. She wouldn't let them down tonight.

She took the Aspirin and downed the water before making her way to Luke's bathroom.

She took in her appearance, wishing she had the same bravado as last night. Her makeup was smudged, her eyes tired, and her hair was a complete mess.

Julie splashed some water on her face, hoping to somehow gain back the hours of sleep she had lost to the alcohol.

She took a deep breath, collecting her clothes from last night and her phone. She saw that had missed multiple calls from Nick and Flynn. She opened her messages to see that a video of her fight with Carrie circulating around their school.

Yeah, that definitely wasn't good.

She called Flynn, holding the phone a few inches from her face because she knew what was coming.

"YOU'RE CALLING ME BACK NOW? AFTER AN ENTIRE NIGHT NOT KNOWING IF YOU AND LUKE MADE IT BACK SAFE? AND WHEN THE FUCK DID YOU FIGHT CARRIE AND HOW DARE YOU NOT INCLUDE ME?!" Flynn yelled into the phone instead of answering like a normal person. 

"Okay, okay, I'm an idiot. I should have texted you, I'm sorry. The Carrie thing was out of my control, I'm not really sure what got into me." Julie said, attempting to console her fiery friend.

"I know what got into you, it's called vodka!" Flynn joked and Julie snorted, knowing that she was forgiven.

"As your unofficial band manager, I've been working double-time to threaten everyone who has the video of you and Carrie. They know that they will be hit with a nasty lawsuit if they post the video on any social media. I made them delete it while I watched, and yes I drove to their houses. But don't worry, I made sure to save a copy for us to review later. We've got to work on your technique." Flynn assured her and Julie sighed in relief.

At least that was one less thing to worry about.

"Thank you Flynn, I really appreciate it." Julie said sincerely, and then there was a long pause.

"What else?" Flynn inquired, and Julie groaned. 

"I really let the guys down last night, and I don't know how to make it up to them... And Luke is mad at me." Julie revealed, unintentionally emphasizing the last part.

"Well then get your ass over there and apologize, and give the performance of your life tonight!" Flynn encouraged her. 

Julie took a deep breath, nodding her head in determination even though Flynn couldn't see her.

"But I don't even have-" Julie started as she walked towards the front door when she noticed another note on Luke's kitchen counter.

" _Don't crash_." It read, and she saw that he had left her his car keys so that she could get back home.

"Never mind. Luke left me his keys." Julie explained.

"That boy is in love with you." Flynn teased and Julie rolled her eyes. 

"Well right now he's mad at me, so I need to get back home. I'm sorry again about last night." Julie said.

"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have made you go. But hey, at least we had a good time until we didn't! And besides, my night didn't end too bad. I got to hang out with two of your hot bandmates and even crashed on Alex's couch. Did you know that he makes the best pancakes?" Flynn said, amazement in her voice, and Julie laughed.

She couldn't help but feel bad for Alex and Reggie as she pictured them dragging Flynn out of the party. Knowing Flynn, she probably fought them every step of the way until they had to carry her out as a team.

Once the guys forgave her, she'd have to ask them for the full story because Julie was sure it would provide ample entertainment.

Julie ended her call with Flynn, her friend's parting words being "go get him tiger!" before hanging up. Julie smiled to herself, some of her confidence returning as she took Luke's keys and made her way to his car.

The drive back home was short considering they lived only a couple of streets from one another. Julie pulled up to her house and she could hear the band practicing the song we were going to perform that night. She hated not being in there with them, but she couldn't face them looking like this.

Julie parked and then snuck through the back entrance of her house, hoping to avoid having to explain her wrecked state. She made it up to the staircase and just as she reached the top step, Carlos blocked the path to her bedroom door.

"And just where have you been Julie Molina?" Carlos asserted, trying to sound like a parental figure but Julie could see the hints of a smile on his face.

Julie grabbed her little brother's hand and dragged him into her room before her father caught them.

"Did you go to a party last night mija?" Carlos asked in fake shock, imitating their dad.

"Yes, fine, okay? I went to a party. But I need to shower and get dressed before dad sees me and grounds me forever." Julie explained quickly and Carlos's smile grew.

"Will you stay quiet for $5?" Julie inquired, raising her eyebrow.

"Give me $10, and you've got a deal!" Carlos bargained and Julie rolled her eyes.

She went to her nightstand and grabbed the money and placed it in his hand that he had extended expectedly to her.

"Pleasure doing business with you, my lips are sealed." Carlos said cheekily, making a motion of locking his lips and throwing out the key.

He then left her room and she locked her door.

Julie took a quick shower, washing off her old makeup and detangling her hair. Once she finished, she put gel in her wet hair and changed into baggy high wasted shorts and a cropped shirt. She put on her favorite sneakers and then stared at her seemingly normal appearance in the mirror.

There's no way anyone would know she was fucked up last night, right?

Julie sighed and left her room, checking the time as she did.

1:30 pm.

They were performing at 6:00 pm, so that gave her a few hours before they had to get dressed and head to the Hollywood Hotel.

After their performance at the Orpheum, they were invited to a special showcase event specifically for bands that wanted to get signed.

Julie hated to admit it, but she wasn't feeling the best. Her stomach was hurting and the dull ache in her skull persisted despite the aspirin. But she needed to seem fine, like it was just any regular day.

Except it wasn't, and she had let her friends down, and they were all waiting for her in the garage. Julie made her way down the stairs to see her dad working on his computer in his office.

"Hey, mija! How was your sleepover with Flynn?" Ray asked and her heart nearly stopped.

"Luke told me that you ended up crashing at her place after you all went to the movies." He explained and Julie nodded nervously.

"Yeah, the movies, right... It was good, we just did girl stuff. You know, painting nails and talking about boys." Julie played into the story, and her dad smiled and it was clear he was buying it.

"I'm glad. You better get out there, the boys have been practicing since 9:00 am! Don't keep them waiting." Ray said encouragingly shooing her with his hand.

Julie gave her father a stiff nod and left the room quickly.

She stood in front of the garage, and despite the doors being closed, she could hear the music that poured out from inside. She could feel the vibration of their instruments in the pavement beneath her feet as she reached for the door.

She took a deep breath, gathering herself before she swung the barn-style doors open.

The music stopped abruptly, and the boys' heads turned to her. 

Julie bit her lip and wrapped her arms around herself for security as she approached them. 

"Hey, guys..." Julie said softly.

"Hey, Julie- Ow!" Reggie started happily before Luke kicked him.

"Band circle?" Julie offered hesitantly, and they nodded as they set down their instruments.

Julie took a seat on Luke's couch, Reggie sitting on the ground facing her, Alex taking the chair opposite of her. Luke took a seat on the other end of the couch and Julie became acutely aware of the space between them.

Julie felt nervous with all of their eyes on her, and she looked down at her hands, unsure how to start the conversation looming over them. 

"You guys know that... I love this band, and I love you guys." She started, her eyes shifting from each of them and lingering on Luke for the last part.

He looked away and she felt the pit in her stomach sink further.

"And I would never intentionally do something to put everything we have built together in jeopardy. And I know how important tonight is for us." Julie continued, feeling a lump form in her throat.

"I didn't expect to go to the party last night and get wasted... But it happened, and it was shitty of me and I'm sorry." Julie felt her bottom lip tremble.

Her guilt felt like it was crushing her windpipe, her eyes filling with tears.

"It's okay, Julie. We forgive you." Reggie said gently, speaking for the group as he placed his hand on her leg.

"Mistakes happen, all we can do is learn from them." Alex soothed, giving Julie a comforting smile.

She felt her breath quicken in an effort to stop the incoming flow of raw emotion. 

She looked to Luke who remained silent, his eyes focused intently on his guitar pick that he was turning over in his hand. 

It was Luke's disappointment that hurt her the most because he had the most riding on the fate of the band. Music was his life, it was all he had. And she felt like she had sacrificed that, and it was enough to make her break. 

"I'm sorry I let you guys down." Julie sobbed, tears spilling onto her cheeks as she pulled her legs into her chest.

That's when she felt the space next to her dip in as Luke scooted over to her, his guitar pick forgotten as his arm wrapped around her. He pulled her onto his lap, and she turned into him and cried softly into his neck. Alex sat on the other side of Luke, and he gently rubbed her back as Reggie cuddled up beside her.

Julie calmed quickly due to all of the physical affection she was receiving. As her cries turned to sniffles she snuggled into Luke. 

"You haven't soiled our chances yet, we still have a killer performance to give tonight." Luke finally spoke and the slight sarcasm in his voice lifted her spirits. 

"Are you feeling up for it?" Luke asked her gently, his thumb gently stroking her arm.

Despite everything, her well-being was still more important to him than any gig. 

Julie pulled away from where she had retreated into his neck, wiping her face and nodding.

Luke was looking at her with so much adoration, as if she had just given him the world. She lost herself in his eyes, melting into him as the intensity of his gaze drew her in. 

"I'll go get you some more water!" Reggie called before retreating.

That was probably a good idea. She was already dehydrated from drinking, and crying certainly didn't help her situation. 

"I'll go fix you up something to eat. How about a PB & J?" Alex offered and Julie nodded enthusiastically at the sound of her favorite snack.

Food. Yeah, she should probably eat. 

Alex followed Reggie and then it was the two of them. 

Julie had become hyperaware of the way he was holding her. His arm was resting on her shoulders, his left hand on her arm. His other arm was tucked under her legs, his right hand resting on the back of her upper thigh as her side was pressed to him. Julie found that it became increasingly hard to focus when his right hand gently squeezed her thigh every couple of seconds. 

Was he doing that intentionally?

Their eyes were still locked, and Julie felt like her skin was on fire beneath his fingers. She could feel his heartbeat quicken against her side, but she was sure hers was beating twice as fast. Desperate for some sort of release, Julie moved forward and pressed her forehead to his. 

Julie's eyes fluttered closed, both of them letting out a shaky breath. 

"I don't like it when you're mad at me..." Julie said softly and she felt him chuckle.

"I can't stay mad at you." He replied gently with a smile.

Yep, he was whipped.

And judging by her wide smile, she was too.

Julie then tilted her head slightly, closing the distance between them as she caught his lips in a kiss.

Luke was taken aback momentarily, as if lost in a trance, before his hand came up to rest on her cheek, his fingers locking behind her ear and pulling her closer.

He deepened the kiss and she sighed into him. Julie's fingers tangled in his hair, and she pulled softly at the hair on the nape of his neck. Luke groaned, and he gently bit her bottom lip, earning a gasp from her. 

It clearly wasn't their first kiss, but each kiss they shared held meaning and this time was no different. It was as if they were building towards something inevitable, but neither of them were willing to take the plunge. 

They reluctantly pulled away when they could hear Reggie and Alex bickering outside, trying to decide whether or not they should peak in to check if they were done.

Julie knew her cheeks were flushed, and she took a deep breath as she scooted off of his lap, needing some distance to calm her pounding heart. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Luke smirked. 

Apparently she had scooted too far because Luke pulled her to him so that their sides were pressed together and her breath caught in her throat again.

So much for distance. 

Luke wrapped an arm around her, beaming as he called their friends back in.

They peaked their heads in reluctantly as if checking that the coast was clear before they walked inside the garage. Reggie was holding about six water bottles and Alex had made her four sandwiches. 

Julie smiled widely, thankful to have such amazing friends and thankful to have a distraction from the ball of passion sitting beside her. 

She ate as Reggie and Alex filled her in on their misadventures with Flynn the previous night.

Apparently, Flynn had escaped their grasp when they were almost back to Reggie's car and she went sprinting down the street. They chased her for four blocks as Flynn screamed "STRANGER DANGER!" before she tripped and face planted into someone's front yard.

Luke and Julie laughed as Alex and Reggie re-enacted the way they carried her back to Alex's place, and Julie was sure if anyone had seen them they would think that Flynn was being abducted.

Julie felt much better after eating and hydrating, her headache disappearing and life returning to her body. They were able to practice their performance a couple of times before they had to part ways to get ready for their gig.

Luke was reluctant to leave but Julie placed his keys in his hands, her touch lingering as she leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek.

"I didn't get a chance to say this before, but... Thanks for taking care of me last night." Julie smiled softly.

Luke smiled back, completely captivated by her.

"I'm always going to be here whenever you need me, Jules." He said seriously and the sincerity in his words made her realize something.

If the past 24 hours had proven anything, it was that Luke Patterson would do anything for her. He took care of her when she was sick, he cuddled her when she was cold, he covered for her with her dad, and he forgave her for making him do it. She was ready to stop dancing around the subject, she wanted to make things official between them. She wanted to be with him.

"I'll see you in an hour." Luke's voice brought her out of her epiphany.

"Okay, I'll see you there." Julie smiled, giving him a little wave as he walked back to his car.

Once he drove away, Julie returned to her room and looked at the outfit she had been planning to wear.

The dark grey joggers and purple mesh crop top and tank no longer felt fitting for the occasion. Julie looked over to the bathroom and saw Luke's KISS t-shirt hanging up on her door, and she got an idea.

She wanted to be his, just as she knew he wanted to be hers. Julie wanted to show him that tonight. 

She wore the shirt as a dress, putting a dark purple velvet corset on top of it, pulling the fabric in at her waist and fitting her figure. She wore knee-high black heeled boots and a silver chain necklace. She styled her hair back to have two little buns at the top of her head, the rest of her hair cascading down her back. She quickly finished her makeup, admiring her look in the mirror momentarily before heading out.

Julie's dad had left before her to get a good seat in the crowd so he could record them, so Flynn picked her up and drove her to the Hollywood Hotel.

"Where'd you get the shirt?" Flynn asked and Julie blushed.

"Luke." She responded honestly and her friend gasped.

"Does he know you're wearing it tonight?" Flynn asked excitedly and Julie shook her head.

"Loverboy is going to freak!" Flynn laughed, clearly entertained.

As they pulled up to the venue, Flynn kicked Julie out so she could head in while she tried to find a parking spot.

Julie entered the hotel lobby and followed the signs leading to their outdoor event area. There was a huge stage set up and about a hundred tables where the scouts and agents were going to watch the bands perform. She swallowed her nerves as she located the boys and walked towards them.

Alex smirked when he saw her, and Reggie choked on his water. They were well acquainted with Luke's limited attire and were very aware that she was wearing his shirt. Luke was talking with the sound director intently before he noticed her. If she could take a mental picture of his face, she would have.

His eyes widened, his mouth falling open as he took her in. He looked her over at least five times before his eyes settled on her face. 

The heat in his gaze threatened to scorch her, and she felt like she would combust at any moment.

This was going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the support and kuddos! There will be a final chapter in this story that should be published soon. I hope you liked this chapter, let me know what you think in the comments! :)  
> -m


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie and The Phantoms perform for a bunch of scouts and tensions between Julie and Luke boil to an all-time high.

"Hey, guys!" Julie smiled as Luke stayed frozen.

"Hey party girl, how are you feeling?" Alex joked, a big smile on his face as he smacked Luke's back to knock him back into reality.

Luke cleared his throat but remained silent as he shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes burning into her.

"Good as new!" Julie said, making sure to just look at Reggie and Alex.

Alex was wearing a black hoodie and black jeans, a purple fanny pack strapped across his chest. Reggie sported his usual white shirt and black pants combo with his signature leather jacket. The only difference was that the flannel he wore underneath was purple to fit the band theme.

Julie had gotten a good look at Luke's outfit as she walked up to them. Luke was wearing black jeans with his signature wallet chains and a black muscle tee. His look was topped off with a destroyed purple denim vest.

The first band of the night was starting to set up on stage, performing sound checks on their equipment. Julie took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves at bay as waves of scouts and record label CEOs entered the venue.

Julie busied herself by warming up her voice, doing various vocal warm-ups that her mom had taught her growing up. Reggie came up to join her, but Luke kept his distance.

As the first band started performing, the boys started tweaking with her instruments, making sure they were tuned and performance-ready. Luke was sitting on an amp box running through a guitar chord progression. Julie's watched every movement of his fingers as they moved up and down the frets.

Her mind drifted to the way his hands tangled themselves in her curls, the way that the rough callouses of his fingers caught on her skin, the way his hand felt on her thigh...

His eyes suddenly shot up to hers, as if he had known she was watching. She took her lip between her teeth, her mind wandering to when he had bit her lip a couple of hours ago during their kiss. He must have been thinking of it too because his eyes dropped to her lips.

The air between them was thick, and she wanted nothing more than to step into it. It was much more intense than earlier, which Julie couldn't have predicted considering it was pretty damn intense earlier too.

But she had to focus. They had an important performance tonight, one that could define their very careers. She ripped her eyes away from Luke's, taking a deep breath to steady herself as she retreated to the concessions stand.

The bands performing at the event got free food and unlimited water.

She was waiting in line when Reggie appeared behind her.

"Guess there will be a little more fire on stage than usual tonight." He said with a knowing smile.

Julie felt a blush rise to her cheeks and she shook her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She lied, not wanting to have this conversation.

Reggie snorted.

"Yeah, okay... If the eye sex that I just witnessed was any indication, you two are wound tight." Reggie chuckled and Julie's face turned three shades darker.

Sometimes Julie forgot that the others could see them. Luke's gaze was so intense that it felt like they were the only two people in the entire world.

He bumped her shoulder teasingly.

"Also, nice shirt. Luke has a thing for girls wearing his stuff. He's never had a girl he was crazy about do it though." Reggie revealed.

Julie coughed to suppress her surprised reaction.

"Well that explains some things..." Her mind drifted back to his initial reaction to her wearing his shirt when he had brought her home from the party.

"He just seems... Intense. More than normal I mean." Julie said as she reached the front of the line and grabbed a water bottle and apple.

"I would expect as much. Knowing Luke, he's going to try and pull you away as soon as he can. I sense a steamy make-out session in your future." Reggie prophesied, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Julie opened her water and took a long sip, needing to cool down. She did not need that image in her head right now.

"I suggest you make him wait though, save it for the stage. Record labels love chemistry, and you two oo-" Reggie began.

"If you say ooze chemistry Reggie, I'm going to vomit." Julie cut in and Reggie laughed.

"Okay, okay. But you know I'm right... Alex and I have your back if you need help avoiding him until then." Reggie offered as he grabbed a water bottle of his own.

She smiled thankfully at him, knowing that it would be challenging to deny Luke's charms.

Reggie walked back with her to the side of the stage where the band had set down their equipment. Luke was playing a few chords softly on his guitar, which was something he did when he was nervous. Not even Luke Patterson was immune to the pressure of performing for a sea of opportunity.

The band that was currently performing was actually pretty good, and that did little to settle Julie's own nerves. But she had confidence in their band, she knew that they would kill it like always. Luke's attention shifted to Julie as she took a seat on one of the amps near Alex.

Julie swung her legs back and forth, needing something to channel the mixture of emotions she was feeling. She bit into her apple as she stared out at the tables, trying to distract her racing thoughts. That was when Luke approached her.

She could sense him coming in the corner of her eye, but she refused to look at him just yet.

He quickly entered her space, his hands planting themselves on either side of her legs as he leaned in. She could feel a magnetic pull drawing her to him, static in the small gap that remained between them. He was waiting for her to look at him, and despite her better judgment, she lifted her eyes to his and swallowed hard.

Yep, he was too close.

"Hey." He smoothed, his voice dripping with honey.

He was giving her that look again, and she was glad that she was sitting because she was sure that her legs would have given out by now.

"Hi." Julie squeaked, flushing at how meek she sounded.

A knowing smirk crossed his features before he leaned in and her breath caught in her throat.

"Why don't we go somewhere more private?" Luke whispered into her ear, and her eyes fluttered closed at the feeling of his breath on her neck. He had never kissed her there before, and her mind short-circuited at the thought of it.

_I sense a steamy make-out session in your future._

He leaned further into her, taking a bite of her apple that was just inches from her own mouth, maintaining eye contact as he did so. She felt his arm reach behind her and he lingered in her space for a moment before he pulled back. Julie blinked a few times as she became all too aware that they were in public.

He chewed with a cheeky smile on his face, holding up a box of guitar picks he had grabbed behind her and winked.

"Alright boys, I'm going to go look around the hotel. I heard they have a hall of fame with photos of every celebrity that's stayed here. Why don't you come with, Jules?" Luke wasn't even trying to mask his intentions as his heated gaze made it painfully obvious.

Luke was not the subtle type.

Julie just stared at him, clearly flustered and reliving what just happened with her apple.

He nodded his head toward the hotel, and the command was clear.

Her eyes caught sight of Reggie and Alex who were shaking their heads behind Luke.

_Save it for the stage._

She took a deep breath, willing the strength to deny him.

"Actually, I promised Alex that I would listen to a new beat he was experimenting with. Isn't that right, Alex?" Julie lied, looking pleadingly to Alex.

"Yep, that's right!" Alex quickly chimed in.

"It's pretty complex too, so it'll take a while for me to get through it." Alex said, unable to suppress his smile at the confusion on Luke's face.

He clearly had not expected her to decline his offer. But now that he had said where he was going he had to follow through.

"Alright... Just me then." Luke clenched his jaw, rocking on his heels for a moment before walking away.

Once Luke left, Julie sighed and scooted off the amp.

"Thank you." She said and Alex laughed.

"Anytime, Julie." Alex said, clearly enjoying messing with his friend.

Luke wasn't gone long, and once they saw him walking back, Alex showed Julie a quick drumming combination to avoid suspicion.

Luke's hands were in his pockets as he approached and he was glaring at Julie.

She avoided his gaze and busied herself with inspecting her mic, tracing the shapes she had drawn on it.

The band before them finished up their last number, and the sound director approached Luke.

"You guys are on in 20!" He informed him, and they began grabbing their equipment and carrying it on to the stage.

They didn't use her piano in the song they were performing, so Julie didn't have an instrument. She felt bad just carrying her mic so grabbed a case of chords that she assumed to be light.

It was definitely not light.

She struggled with the case as she waddled to the steps leading up to the stage.

That's when Luke brushed up against her side, his hand replacing where hers had been holding the case as he took it from her without a second thought.

Julie's hand burned where this had touched hers, and she smiled at him thankfully.

But he wasn't looking her way and judging by the tension in his shoulders, he wasn't happy about the little stunt she just pulled.

The boys set up their instruments, plugging them into the amps, and performing their necessary sound checks. Julie focused on adjusting her mic, relieved to have something to pry her brain from the sleeveless hunk a couple of feet from her.

Once they were all set up, they assumed their positions as they prepared to play their first song.

"Please welcome to the stage, Julie and the Phantoms!" The announcer roared over the speakers and Julie looked out into the crowd.

Her chest tightened as she thought about the many important eyes watching. It was almost enough to make her feel sick, but after last night, she didn't think she had anything left to throw up.

 _Do it for the boys._ She reminded herself, feeling grounded in her commitment to them.

She looked back and nodded to Alex. He tapped his drumsticks to set the tempo and then with a strum of Luke's guitar they started to play. Julie began swaying her hips as their song filled her senses, she lifted her mic to her lips and began singing.

She felt at home up on stage with them, they were all one unit working together for the same goal. She gave everything she had into her verse, working the stage as she did so. She turned to Reggie and started jamming out with him for a few beats before she turned to Alex as she wrapped up her last line.

By the time she turned to Luke, it was his turn to sing and he lunged towards his mic, practically growling as he started the second verse. Julie was both taken aback and captivated by his aggressive start.

He strummed his guitar roughly and her eyes were drawn to his muscular arms that were on full display. Julie hadn't realized that she was standing so close to him when he abandoned his mic to use hers.

Holy shit.

The passion in his eyes caused a light and tingly feeling to spread across her body. She leaned into the mic, which consequently made her lean into him as she sang the chorus with him. Their moment of closeness was broken abruptly as he returned to his mic.

She instinctively leaned forward when he left but she stopped herself. She flushed and the smug smile that crossed Luke's face made her realize that he had just started a game of chicken.

Two could play at that game.

Julie turned towards the audience, singing out the next verse as she dropped to her knees. She then laid down, dragging her hand up her body as she arched her back.

The crowd was eating it up, the other bands cheering her on with shouts and whistles. Julie looked over at Luke as she dragged out the last few notes of her verse.

If looks could kill, his would have mauled her.

Honestly, she wouldn't mind being mauled.

She saw the grip on his guitar tighten as he sang his line in the part of the song where they were supposed to go back and forth.

She smirked as their exchange began, sitting up as she began to slowly crawl towards him.

He watched as she made her way to him, looking like he might explode at any moment. She just made it to him when they finished and the chorus started.

Julie began belting out a series of runs, sitting up on her knees leaning back as she did so.

That's when Luke got down with her as Reggie and Alex took over the chorus.

He riffed on his guitar, his body moving in sync with Julie's as she leaned forward and back with the motion of her voice.

As the song drew to a close Luke swung his guitar behind him as he leaned in. Her mic was the only thing separating their mouths as they sang the final words of the song together. All the while, her eyes were on his mouth and it took everything she had not to tackle him.

They stayed there for a few beats, breathing deeply as they stared at one another. The crowd erupted and Julie was once again reminded that other people could see them. Luke then stood up, offering her his hand with a smile.

Julie took his hand, and when she stood up they brushed noses making her gasp and jump back.

She quickly recovered, turning to the crowd as Reggie and Alex joined her at her side. They all locked hands and gave a bow. Julie could see Flynn in the crowd, giving her a thumbs up and wink.

She did it. She had given the performance of her life.

Julie just hoped that it would be enough.

As they were moving their equipment off stage, a woman dressed in a suit approached them. Julie turned towards the woman.

"Hello, my name is Hellen Blanchard. I'm the CEO of Ocean Records." The woman announced herself, shaking hands with each of them.

"That was quite a performance you guys gave... We have been searching for a band with that star factor and I think we may have found it. How about you guys come to visit my office next week and we can talk logistics?" Hellen offered and the band stood there in shock.

"That- That would be amazing, this means the world to us, thank you." Luke finally spoke up excitedly.

The woman gave Luke her card and told him to give her a call the following day to schedule a time for them all to meet. He agreed and once she left the band rejoiced.

Reggie and Alex were jumping up and down and Luke scooped Julie up in a hug as he spun her.

"We did it!" Julie giggled, feeling high from their performance and the prospect of signing a record deal.

" _You_ did it." Luke said, letting her down to her feet as he stared at her like she was the sun.

Julie smiled bashfully, looking up at him as he leaned in.

She held her breath, desperate for the release of his lips on hers. She closed her eyes, their lips were only millimeters away.

"Congratulations guys, that was amazing!" Ray called and they sprung apart quickly.

Luke cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Thanks, Mr. Molina." He said, unable to look at him.

Ray wrapped Julie up in a hug, squeezing her tight.

"I'm so proud of you, Mija. And I know your mom would be proud too." Ray said, and Julie felt tears brimming at the corners of her eyes.

"Thanks, dad." Julie smiled gratefully as he released her.

"I'm sure you guys want to celebrate tonight, so I'll see you tomorrow Mija?" Ray smiled and Julie nodded.

Just as her dad left, Flynn came barreling into her, nearly knocking her over.

"You guys totally rocked it!" Flynn exclaimed, approaching the group with a starstruck look on her face.

Julie pried her best friend off of her, laughing.

"She's right, you guys are insanely talented." A teen approached them and Julie recognized him as a member of the band that performed before them.

"We're having a party at my place for all the bands tonight, it's going to epic. Are you guys down?" He asked the group.

Julie looked hesitantly at Luke.

"Um- I don't know..." She started.

"We'll be there." Luke declared, flashing her a smile.

"I'm coming too, I'm with them! I'm their unofficial manager." Flynn blurted, batting her eyes at the teen in an attempt to flirt with him.

Her attempt completely went over the teen's head.

"Awesome! Here's the address." The teen then exchanged numbers with Reggie and sent him the location.

Julie looked to Luke, deeply confused.

He just shrugged, mischief dancing in his eyes.

"It's your turn to take care of me." He joked, a smirk spreading across his lips.

And their game continued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't help myself and just keep on writing haha so there will be a fourth chapter coming soon. Please let me know what you think of this chapter in the comments!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie and Luke finally come to terms with their relationship at the band party.

Julie and the boys went to dinner after their performance, celebrating the prospect of signing to a record label. Julie was still blown away, unable to imagine a more perfect set of events. They ate as they soaked up their success and rode on the high of post-performance adrenaline. It was around 8:00 pm by the time they were finished, and the band party didn't start until 9:30 pm, so they ended up in Reggie's basement to pregame.

His parents had a particularly nasty fight that week, and his mom left to stay at a hotel. With just his father drinking away his regrets in the house, Reggie knew that they could get away with pretty much anything.

It was Flynn's idea to pregame, she claimed that it would help them "loosen up" so that they would feel more comfortable around a bunch of strangers. In reality, Flynn just wanted to drink away her nerves about confronting the guy who invited them to the band party. 

Flynn was able to hustle her older brother into buying them alcohol and he got them a handle of vodka along with a few bottles of root beer. Alex insisted on mixing everyone's drinks so that he could make sure that no one died that night, and he handed each of them a drink as they all gathered on the couches in the corner of the room.

Alex sat with Reggie, and Flynn plopped down between them much to their dismay. Luke sat on the end, his arm resting along the back of the couch. Julie sat beside him, purposefully leaving at least half a cushion between them. She was unsure if she could control herself being too close to him with the building tension in her stomach. She willed herself to focus on the conversation they were having as she felt his fingers gently twist one of her curls.

It was subtle enough to go unnoticed by their friends, but it served to send a chill down her spine. Julie took a deep breath as she took a long sip of her drink, hoping to numb the fire threatening to rip through her.

Despite the internal inferno Julie was facing, Reggie's basement was freezing. Reggie said it was because his father was so frugal he didn't pay for air conditioning in the winter. She suddenly regretted her outfit choice, as Luke's shirt fell just at her thighs and her boots ended at her knee. Her outfit left her thighs and arms exposed to the elements, and Julie crossed her legs and placed her hands on her arms in an effort to warm up.

She could feel heat radiating off Luke beside her, and she was tempted to scoot over and lean into him. She knew better though, she wouldn't be the first to cave tonight.

Julie busied herself talking to Flynn about her friend's obvious crush on the band member that had invited them to the party. Flynn denied her allegations, but the hint of a smile on the corner of her friend's mouth gave her away.

"You should definitely talk to him tonight!" Julie offered and Flynn sighed loudly as she dramatically fell back onto the couch, landing across Alex's lap who let out a yelp.

"I can't! What if he outwardly rejects me?" Flynn exasperated and Julie shook her head.

"Then it will be his loss because you are amazing." Julie encouraged, rubbing her arms to bring warmth to her chilled skin.

Luke had been arguing playfully with Reggie, debating which Star Wars movie was better. Luke was a sucker for the classics, while Reggie thought that the sequels were pretty good. Both chose not to mention the prequels, as the very mention of the rendition offended them. Alex loved to get them riled up, so he mentioned a particular character in the sequels that Reggie hated.

Luke happened to glance at Julie as Reggie went off on a rant about Jar Jar Binks. Julie could feel his eyes on her, and she tried her best to look unaffected. His arm then dropped from resting on the back of the couch to her waist, pulling her into him. Julie let out a noise of surprise, as he fit her into the crook of his side.

Luke continued talking, as if nothing had happened and as if having her pressed to him was the most casual thing in the world. But she didn't miss the deep breath he let out when she leaned back into him. He was warm, a stark contrast to the seemingly freezing basement.

Her goosebumps prevailed, but not from the cold. 

After she had a cup and a half of the vodka and root beer, Julie began feeling that lightheaded joy she had felt the night before. This time, however, she was determined to pace herself.

If the alcohol was affecting Luke, he did little to show it. His demeanor remained calm, but she did notice that his touches got more demanding.

His grip on her waist would tighten at random points of the night, making her gasp and she'd cover it up with a cough. To make matters worse, Luke would graze her thigh when he set his cup down, his hand ghosting hers as she willed herself to not reach out and hold his hand. 

Not that their friends would have minded, but they were playing a game. A dangerous dance that guaranteed that they would both be winners.

After an hour of drinking and enjoying one another's company, Flynn rounded them up and pushed everyone outside to get to her brother's car. Apparently he owed her for a time that he came home drunk, and she was cashing in tonight. Julie wouldn't be surprised if this would be her and Carlos once he was older. Flynn's brother drove them to the address that was given to Reggie.

Alex sat in between Luke and Julie, and Julie was thankful for some separation to help clear her head. She needed to reset if she was going to continue their game at the party. 

They pulled up to a seemingly abandoned warehouse, but the blaring music inside assured them that they had reached their destination.

Flynn's brother sped off after they all hopped out of the car, leaving them to whatever lied ahead. Julie felt comfortable knowing that she wouldn't be walking in alone. Luke led the way, finding a side entrance that various people were spilling out of. The commotion inside got louder as they approached, and as they stepped inside Julie got an overwhelming sense of deja vu.

The loud music, the smell of sweat, the voices talking over one another. Julie looked over to see a large tarp hanging on the wall that read "MOMENTUM" in black jagged font. There was no furniture in the house, except for a dirty rug that had the remnants of instruments outlined in the fabric. They must use this building to practice and cleared all of their equipment out for the party.

Momentum was perhaps their biggest rival at the showcase event that night. Julie had seen another management company approach the group after their performance.

The same guy from earlier came up to the group, patting Alex on the back and Alex jumped in surprise.

"Hey guys! Glad you could make it." He smiled, a can of beer in his right hand.

He gestured for Julie and the boys to follow him, and they trailed behind as he led them to the kitchen.

There were at least thirty bottles of various alcohols, along with stacks upon stacks of red solo cups and shot glasses littering the kitchen counters. In the corner of the kitchen, there was a large canister full of red liquid. 

"Let's take a group shot to celebrate your arrival. GROUP SHOT EVERYONE!" The band teen announced, holding a shot glass up as he gathered the attention of everyone around them.

Julie and the boys stood there with their eyes wide, unsure if they should accept the offer. Julie looked to Luke, and their eyes met for a second before he grabbed a shot glass and the others followed.

They all clinked their glasses together before tapping the glass to the counter and taking the shot. Luke didn't break eye contact with her as he did so and Julie forgot how to swallow properly. Julie grimaced as the liquid burned down her throat, coughing lightly.

He flashed her a cocky smile as he set his glass down, and she was thankful it was dark so that he couldn't see the blush on her face, though she's sure he already knew.

Flynn suddenly linked arms with her as she tugged her over to the dance floor. Julie danced with her friend who leaned over to whisper in her ear. 

"It looked like you needed an out." Flynn said, and Julie nodded when she pulled away, mouthing "thank you". 

Julie swayed her hips to the music, her hands in Flynn's as they moved in sync with one another. Julie happened to glance over to where the boys were standing in the kitchen and her eyes found Luke. 

He was leaning up against the wall, his grip on the beer can in his hand tightening as he watched her. She was reminded of his reaction to her dancing on the stage earlier that night. 

"Let's give him a show." Julie whispered to Flynn who smiled mischievously. 

Flynn spun Julie so that her back was to Flynn, and Julie pressed into her as they swiveled their hips together. Julie ran her hands up her body, just like she had earlier. 

There it was, the murderous look from their performance. Julie smirked as Luke glared at her. 

Her hands then tangled themselves in her hair as she bit her lip as she and Flynn switched spots, Flynn grinding into her as she rolled her body. 

Julie closed her eyes, as she lost herself in the moment. 

It was then that she felt someone's hands on her hips. She assumed that it was Luke and she moved to look back at him when she saw a stranger. Julie attempted to move away from him but his grip on her hips was tight. Flynn was too invested in showing off for the band teen that she didn't notice her friend's insistent taps on her waist to get her attention. 

The stranger pressed into her and Julie yelped, struggling to get out of his grip before the guy was shoved off of her. 

"Don't fucking touch her!" Luke yelled as the guy scrambled back to his feet. 

Luke was closing in on him, about to tackle him when Julie moved in front of him. 

"Hey, I'm okay! Luke, please, just let it go..." Julie pleaded with him, looking up at him but his eyes were focused on her offender. 

His brows were furrowed, his nose scrunched as he stared down the guy who was now cowering away. 

She took his face in her hands, and he finally looked at her. 

"Come on, let's go check on Alex and Reggie. We don't need another video of someone in the band getting in a fight." Julie said, poking fun at the fight she had gotten in with Carrie just the night before, hoping to distract him. 

After a moment of staring at her intensely, he gave her a forced smile and nodded. 

"You're right. Sorry." He pressed out and she quickly turned him away from the other guy, leading him back to Alex and Reggie. 

"Julie!!" Reggie giggled, pulling her into an unbalanced hug.

"Hi Reg, you feeling okay?" Julie smiled as she put her arms around her friend to steady him.

Given how much she had already drunk that night, she wasn't sure how much longer she would retain her own balance. 

"Me? Oh I'm great. Believe it or not, it's been so long since I've had alcohol!" He announced as if it would be some big surprise.

"No wayyy." Julie played along, smiling fondly at her obviously drunk friend.

"Let's go play a game!" Reggie pleaded, tugging on Julie's arm and leading her outside.

Luke got roped into a conversation with the band teen as they left, Julie looking back at him before disappearing into the sea of people.

Once they were outside, Julie saw a band playing live for a crowd of party-goers. There were beer cans scattered across the floor, and they crunched under Julie's heels as she walked over them. There was also a bonfire and a beer pong table set up in the backyard, and Reggie ran excitedly to the table.

He announced to the existing players that we had the next game, and they rolled their eyes and nodded. Unaffected, Reggie spun around to where Julie was standing and he started bouncing.

"This music is so good, isn't it?" Reggie asked, starting to rock out and Julie laughed.

"It's great, Reggie." She responded and he took her hands and made her dance with him.

He swung their arms back and forth, shuffling his feet as he banged his head to the music. Julie let herself go, continuing their silly dance as they giggled together.

She felt dizzy, but in a good way, and that's when she knew that she had officially reached her limit for the night. She didn't want to ruin whatever Luke had planned for later.

She wasn't sure how long they were dancing when she heard Alex approaching them.

"There you guys are! We've been looking all over for you." Alex said, clearly out of breath and slightly annoyed with Luke was standing at his side.

Julie pulled away from Reggie, stifling her laughter.

"Sorry guys, Reggie wanted to play beer pong." Julie informed them, tripping over her feet slightly but wrapping her arm around Reggie to straighten out.

It didn't do them much good as they swayed gently back and forth, another giggle erupting from them. Alex sighed and Julie's eyes fell on Luke.

His body was rigid, he was presumably still upset about the guy grabbing her while she was dancing. But then his eyes trailed up her body, much like they had when he picked her up from the party just the night before. There was this carnal look to him, a hunger that she didn't want to dwell on. She shifted under his gaze, all the humor sucked out of her as a new feeling overtook her.

She was about to act on that feeling when Alex spoke up. 

"Well, you two almost gave me a heart attack! You guys know how I feel about these kinds of situations..." Alex mumbled and Julie turned her focus to their nervous friend.

Julie could see the anxiety he was trying so hard to mask, and she placed her hand on his shoulder. 

"I'm sorry Alex, we'll make sure to tell you where we are going from now on. Okay?" She smiled. 

"Okay..." Alex puffed.

"Alright, next game. You guys are on!" The guys playing beer pong announced and Reggie ran to one side of the table.

"Do you guys want to play with us?"Julie offered to Alex and Luke.

"Oh, you are so going down!" Luke smirked, his playful nature returning as his anger finally drained from his body. 

Luke went to go stand opposite of Reggie when Alex stopped him.

"Actually, I think you should play with Reggie. We can't have both of our drunks playing together or that wouldn't be fair." Alex reasoned and Luke just nodded and went over to stand by Reggie.

"Hey! I'm not drunk." Julie protested as Alex came to stand next to her.

Alex laughed lightheartedly and pat her head a few times.

"Okay, Julie." Alex said as he picked up a ping pong ball as Luke did the same.

They locked eyes and threw each of their respective balls at the assortment of cups adjacent to them. Alex barely missed his shot while Luke's ball sank into the cup right in the middle of the stack.

Luke's eyes trailed from Alex to Julie and he gave her a wink.

"Guess we're shooting first." Luke smirked and Reggie jumped up and down beside him.

"Let me go first, please let me go first!" Reggie begged and Luke smiled brightly at him.

"You can go first bud." Luke said and Reggie rejoiced and grabbed a ping pong ball then hurled it over at our cups, missing them completely. 

"Oh man." Reggie pouted and Luke chuckled and placed an arm around his shoulders.

"Watch and learn, my friend." Luke announced as he tossed the ball and it easily landed in a cup. 

Reggie's mouth dropped open.

"Wow..." He said amazed as Alex shook his head.

"I hope you're not a sore loser Luke." Alex jived, throwing his ball and making the shot.

Despite being intoxicated, Julie's competitive nature took over. She tossed her ball and it landed in the cup nearest Luke. His eyebrows shot up, and she shot him a wink back.

It was a close game, full of playful taunting and intense staredowns. Julie was about two heated gazes away from pouncing on Luke, but thankfully Alex helped keep her focused on the task at hand. 

There was one cup left on each side, and Alex had already missed his shot. The game was up to Julie now.

"You can do this Julie. Do it for the girls and the gays!" Alex encouraged. 

She took a deep breath, focusing on her intended target to drown out the loud Luke-centric thoughts in her head. Reggie was clutching the end of the table, letting out a string of "please miss, please miss, please miss."

Julie glanced up at Luke, her eyes never leaving his as she made her shot. There was no going back now.

She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or if she had finally reached her breaking point, but she was done playing their game. It looked as if Luke read her mind because a look of realization dawned on him. 

She didn't even notice that she had made her shot until Alex picked her up, cheering happily.

"We did it! We won!" Alex exclaimed.

When Alex let her down he noticed that her eyes never left Luke, and he cleared his throat.

"Alright Reggie, let's go wash our hands. Who knows how many people have touched those ping pong balls." Alex said quickly as he snatched up a moping Reggie and dragged him inside.

Julie watched their friends leave, giggling at their obvious ploy to get her and Luke alone. 

When she turned her head back towards Luke, he was standing right in front of her. 

This guy had no concept of personal space.

Her breath caught in her throat as she saw her own desire reflected in his eyes.

"Walk with me?" He offered, a nervous smile on his lips.

What was he nervous about?

"Yeah... okay." Julie agreed, taking his hand that he offered out to her, interlocking their fingers.

He squeezed her hand lightly as he led them toward the back of the house. It was the only place that offered them any kind of privacy.

They had hardly rounded the corner when Luke pressed her up against the wall, his hand behind her head to protect it and his other hand resting to the side of her head.

Julie felt her brain short-circuiting as she became engulfed in all things Luke.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" He hissed, his head dropping to her shoulder and she sighed at the contact.

His hand trailed up her thigh, his fingers lightly grazing the skin just underneath his shirt that she was wearing. Julie shivered at the contact and she could feel his smirk against her shoulder.

"I like it better on you..." Luke whispered, his breath tickling her skin as he moved to kiss her neck.

Julie let out an involuntary gasp, leaning into him as his lips worked on her sensitive skin. Her hand came up to tangle in his hair, and he sucked a hickey into her skin as she whined.

Luke tightened his grip around her waist, pressing her further into him.

"Luke." Julie breathed, suddenly reminded of the conversation she wanted to have with him.

He groaned in response, and she lost her train of thought as he moved up to kiss her ear. They needed to talk, she needed to tell him.

"Luke... Look at me." She finally managed, her hands moving to his face, prying him from her and forcing him to pull away far enough to look at her. 

"Yeah?" He breathed heavily, looking at her through hooded eyes.

"I'm tired of pretending, I can't dance around this... Us... I wore your shirt because I wanted to show you that I'm yours, or I want to be. If you'll have me..." Julie confessed, fumbling over her words, her face flushing at how vulnerable she suddenly felt.

Luke stayed silent, his eyes searching hers. Anxiety filled Julie's chest as she awaited his answer, her mind going through all of the worst-case scenarios. 

What if he didn't like her like that? What if all they were was just friends who occasionally make out? What if he wasn't into commitment?

Julie was broken from her worried thoughts when Luke suddenly crushed his lips to hers. She sighed into his bruising kiss, his arms encircling her waist tightly.

"Jump." He ordered against her lips, and without hesitation, she jumped.

He caught her, lifting her up to rest on his hips as her legs wrapped around his torso. He pressed her into the side of the house and Julie could feel the vibration of the music playing inside through her back.

He pulled away from the kiss just enough to stare intently at her, his eyes flickering to her lips heatedly. 

"You're mine." He growled and Julie felt like her entire body was on fire.

"I'm yours." She whispered before he crashed into her again.

Julie lost herself in him, locking her ankles around his waist as she clutched at his shirt, needing him closer. She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, kissing one another with a fervor that left the both of them panting and flushed.

It was Luke that finally pulled away and Julie pouted her kiss-battered lip. He chuckled lightly at her expression, letting her down gently.

His hands rested on her waist, his thumbs smoothing over the fabric of her corset. He stayed in her space, needing to be near her to ground himself. 

"We should probably get back. You know how Alex gets." Luke said, leaning into her and placing another kiss on her lips. It was as if he couldn't help himself.

Julie was still coming back to reality, her hands resting on his chest as she tried desperately to appear cool and collected.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Julie gulped a breath of air and looked up at him.

His hair was disheveled, his shirt wrinkled and hanging awkwardly on one shoulder. They both laughed at their current state, moving to readjust themselves. Julie pulled his shirt down from where it had ridden up on her hips, and she patted down her hair.

Luke smiled at her, offering her his hand. She couldn't help but smile back and let her hand slip into his.

"Does this make you my girlfriend?" Luke asked with a love-struck look on his face.

Julie melted in his gaze, giddiness rising in her chest.

"Only if you're my boyfriend." Julie smiled playfully.

"I can do that." He chuckled as he led them back inside.

Inside the house, an unexpected scene played before them. Flynn was on the couch making out with the band teen. Reggie was circled by a group of girls who were trying to teach him how to twerk. And most unexpectedly, Alex was dancing on top of the kitchen island with his shirt unbuttoned, his belt strapped around his forehead.

How long had they been gone?

Julie put her hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing as Luke tugged them over to Alex.

"Woohooo!" Alex whooped and Luke looked at Julie with amusement in his eyes before they turned their attention back to their friend.

Alex looked so happy as he danced, finally free from his stress. It was such a stark contrast from how nervous and tightly wound he had been earlier.

"You doing okay buddy?" Luke mused and Alex jumped down to them, crashing into Luke who let go of Julie's hand to keep his friend from falling.

"Woah there... What did you have to drink?" Luke asked and Alex shook his head.

"Nothing! I didn't want to get trashed like you clowns so I decided to drink the punch instead." Alex slurred and Julie looked to the counter containing the supposed "punch".

"Alex, that's jungle juice." Julie was trying her hardest to keep from bursting out laughing.

Alex's eyes got wide as he realized what that meant. But it appeared that logical Alex was far gone by now and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Future Alex is going to hate me, but drunk Alex says let's partyyyy!" Alex grabbed both of them and dragged them to the living room.

Reggie broke through the crowd of girls, looking like he had just met God as he stumbled towards them.

"Hey, guys. Did you see those hot girls? They were all talking to me, one of them even kissed my cheek." Reggie rushed out, eyes wide.

"Congrats dude." Luke laughed.

"Everyone shut up and dance! This is my JAM!" Alex announced as "I Love It" by Icona Pop came on.

Alex and Reggie flailed their arms as they drunkenly danced and Julie and Luke joined them. They were all screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs, jumping in time to the music, and having the time of their lives.

Luke grabbed Julie by her waist, pulling her to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck as they danced. A smile crossed her lips at the realization that it was official. He was hers and she was his. She didn't have to hold back, didn't have to hide the way she felt about him anymore.

Julie leaned in as she sang the next verse to him, scrunching up her nose as he gave her an Eskimo kiss.

Julie felt an overwhelming feeling taking over her, one that only Luke could spark. She said the only thing that expressed how she was feeling, and she no longer cared about the repercussions. 

"I love you." Julie half-yelled in his ear, the blaring music making it difficult to hear one another. 

But he had heard her. 

The smile that spread across Luke's face was blinding, and he beamed as he leaned in closer.

"I love you, Julie Molina." He replied, grabbing both sides of her face with his hands before he caught her lips in a tender kiss. 

The night before may have been rough, but tonight she was having fun. 

Tonight she was in love. 

Tonight she was celebrating the band's success with her favorite people in the world. 

What had started as a rough night had turned into the perfect beginning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience! I've been super stressed with finals and work. I hope you enjoy the last chapter! I will be re-writing some of these chapters from Luke's perspective, and I will also be making a prequel and sequel to this series. Let me know what you think in the comments :)


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